Westport launch party, 16 May 2014

Thanks to Uri Kohen, organiser of the Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival, for this announcement of the Festival launch party, to be held in McGing's, Westport, Co. Mayo, at 9.00 p.m. on 16 May, with music by the deservedly perennial Festival favourites the Molly Hicks, featuring Ruth Dillon (vocals, guitar, mandolin) and Bernie O’Mahony (vocals, banjolele). Uri's release states:

As well as producing quite possibly the finest blend of bluegrass, folk and country music in Ireland today, the Molly Hicks possess a trump card in the beautiful voices of lead singers Ruth and Bernie, described by Siobhan Long of the Irish Times as 'a thing of great beauty … their voices communing with the seamlessness of Emmylou Harris and Alison Krauss’.

This tight vocal and instrumental group has toured across Ireland, Britain, and USA, and are noted for their uncanny delivery of traditional and contemporary bluegrass songs. The Molly Hicks are a harmony tour de force, with everyone taking turns singing lead and harmony, doing call and response.

In addition to their wide repertoire of traditional songs and fiddle tunes, Ruth continues to write original songs for the band in a true bluegrass style. Sometimes tending towards intimate and traditional, while other times very tempo-driven and quite funky, the Molly Hicks always deliver illuminating and spontaneous live shows, and they never fail to leave their audience engaged and wanting more.